


Fevers and Feelings

by ohheykat



Category: The Prom - Sklar/Beguelin/Martin
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-28
Updated: 2020-12-21
Packaged: 2021-03-10 06:27:47
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,216
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27749746
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ohheykat/pseuds/ohheykat
Summary: Mrs. Greene is sure of only a few things. Her daughter is a superstar, she's coming to terms with her daughter being gay, and she is one hundred percent straight. That is, until she comes face to face with her daughter's cheer coach: Angie Dickenson.
Relationships: Alyssa Greene/Emma Nolan, greenedick(Mrs.Greene and Angie)
Comments: 5
Kudos: 32





	1. Alyssa's Sick Day

It was a cold day in Edgewater, Indiana. The kind of day where if you didn’t wear a coat, you were likely to catch a cold. It had been like this for quite a few weeks, as January had been particularly harsh on the little town, and everyone you saw had layered themselves with several coats and hoodies. Everyone except for Alyssa Greene.

It wasn’t that she didn’t have a coat. She had plenty, and she had a thousand of Emma’s hoodies to throw on if she couldn’t find one of those. The simple fact was that she was forgetful and rushed in the morning, and a coat was the least of her worries when she was so eager to get out of her house and into Emma Nolan’s truck. Friday morning she found herself shaking as she buckled her seatbelt. “Baby,” Emma sighs as she turns up the heat. “Where’s your jacket?”

“F-f-forgot,” she mumbles, wrapping her arms around herself. 

“Take this,” Emma pulls her jacket off before they begin to pull out. “You’re gonna freeze to death honey.”

Alyssa wants to object, but she’s cut off by a coughing fit that leaves her breathless. “Ow,” she finally mumbles, leaning her head on the window. 

“‘Lys,” Emma sighs, reaching out to place a hand on her cheek. “I think you’re sick.”

“Can’t be sick,” she mumbles. “Competition next week. Gotta practice or I let everyone down.”

“Baby you can’t lead them if you’re hacking up a lung.”

“I’ll be fine.”

“I don’t believe that in the slightest.”

They pull into the school parking lot, and Emma pauses before she opens her door. “You don’t always have to push yourself like this, you know?”

“Yeah, I kinda do,” Alyssa throws her door open, swinging her backpack over her shoulder and beginning her trek towards the building without another word.

Emma sighs, she should have known there was no arguing here. The day is pretty miserable for Alyssa. Every few minutes she finds herself doubled over with a coughing fit, and though she isn’t always there, Emma’s worry only increases as the day goes on. Somehow, Alyssa makes it to cheer practice in one piece, where Coach Dickenson is there to stop her. “Go home, Greene,” she commands as Alyssa tries to enter the lockerroom.

“But Coach, I’ve gotta-”

“Greene, did you not hear me? ‘Cause I can hear you from like a mile away. You need to go home. I bet you can still catch a ride with Nolan.”

“Actually, Emma went home early. She had a migraine, but she left the truck here ‘cause Betsy picked her up. I can drive myself home.”

“I can’t let you drive home like this,” she sighs, then realizes how bad the girl is shaking. “Here, take this hon. Kaylee’s in charge for the rest of practice, girls! Finish your weekly sheets please!”

“Really, it’s okay Coach, I can drive and-”

“Nonsense. Besides, I’d like a word with whoever decided that it was okay for you to leave the house like this today.”

“Coach, really, I’m fine.”

“You’re fine, huh?” she pulls a thermometer out of her backpack. “Then prove it.”

Alyssa puts the thermometer under her tongue, knowing very well that it’ll confirm what everyone’s been suspecting. When it beeps Angie grabs it before Alyssa can even think about it, and her worried frown gives the young girl the answer she was waiting for. “Alyssa, honey, it’s 102.7. You need to be in bed, not out in the cold like this.”

Alyssa’s eyes well up with tears, and Angie’s tough coach facade melts away immediately. Her motherly instincts kick in, and she pulls the younger girl in for a hug that was very much needed. “I’ll take you home, hon,” she says softly. “I really am going to have to speak to your mother, though.”

Alyssa wants to say that it isn’t her mom’s fault, that she was gone before she even woke up, but she bites her tongue. Maybe her mom meeting Coach Dickeson would be a good thing. They walk out to Angie’s car in silence, and the ride to the Greene residence is much of the same. When they pull into the driveway, Alyssa curses to herself when she sees her mom’s car. Angie helps the young girl to the door, then knocks angrily. Mrs. Greene answers, eyes confused as she sees her girlfriend with her coach. “Can I help you?”

“I want to know why you thought it was appropriate to send your daughter to school with a 102 fever,” Angie spits, eyes angry as she’s finally face-to-face with her captain’s mother.

“I had no idea,” for once, Mrs. Greene’s voice is soft as she glances at her daughter’s pale face. “Alyssa, honey, why don’t you go lie down? I’ll order some soup from the place you like.”

Alyssa nods, rushing to her room to get away from whatever fight was about to happen. As soon as she’s out of sight, Mrs. Greene crosses her arms over her chest. “I apologize, I was gone before Alyssa woke up this morning.”

“Yeah, well your kid shouldn’t have to feel like she has to show up to appease you.”

“I don’t know what-“

“Don’t play dumb. I’ve heard stories about you, Veronica Greene, I know how hard you are on her.”

Before she can go off any more, a red pickup truck pulls into the driveway. Emma Nolan hops out, two backpacks slung over her shoulder. “Hey Mrs. Greene,” she says, still sheepish around her girlfriend’s mother. “I brought ‘Lyssa her stuff.”

“She’s upstairs, dear,” Mrs. Greene and Emma’s relationship had come a long way since the beginning of her dating Alyssa. “You can head on up. Door open, though.”

“Yes ma’am,” she pauses for a minute. “Oh hi Coach. Are you still coming over for family game night?”

“I believe so, tell that grandmother of yours I’ll be kicking her ass in Scrabble.”

Emma laughs before she heads into the house. Neither of the adults says a word until she’s up the stairs and out of earshot. “I can’t believe she felt like she had to go to school,” Mrs. Greene sighs, and Angie can see the guilt in her eyes. “I know I’ve been pushing her, but, god, she could’ve gotten so much sicker.”

“I’m glad I found her when I did,” Angie says. “God only knows what could’ve happened if she had tried to practice.”

“Thank you.”

“Of course. Just don’t let it happen again.”

Mrs. Greene smiles at the cheer coach, and Angie smiles back before heading back to her car. Veronica debates going upstairs to check on Alyssa, but she knows that Emma and Alyssa would both be happier if she left them be.

She was right. Upstairs, Emma rubs Alyssa’s back as another round of coughs wrack her small body. Finishing, she collapses against Emma, nestling her head in the crook of the blonde’s neck. “My chest hurts,” she complains, pulling her knees up to curl into a ball.

“I can tell, love,” Emma sighs, rubbing her back as she pulls her onto her lap. “You’re burning up too. Why don’t you close those pretty eyes, and I’ll hold you while you sleep? You need to rest.”

Alyssa nods, so Emma carefully lays down with her head on her chest. Emma can hear how labored her breathing is, and, as much as she doesn’t want to, she sneaks downstairs once she’s sure Alyssa is finally asleep. Mrs. Greene is sitting on the couch, wrapped in a Christmas blanket with a cup of tea. “Hey Emma, everything okay?” she asks, taking her eyes off of the television.

“Do you have a thermometer? ‘Lyssa’s burning up, and I’m honestly really worried. It sounds like she can’t breathe well either.”

Veronica frowns, and she stands up to show Emma where everything is. When they get back to Alyssa’s room, the younger girl is sitting up in bed, practically hacking up her lung. Emma rushes to her side, rubbing her back as her mother pours out a dose of cough medicine. Once she can finally breathe again, she takes it without argument. “We’re going to the doctor in the morning,” Mrs. Greene announces as she sticks a thermometer into Alyssa’s ear. “That cough is worrying me.”

“Me too,” Emma sighs as the thermometer beeps.

“Jesus Christ,” Veronica mumbles as she takes it out of her ear. “Okay, Superstar I’m going to get you a cold compress. Emma, as much as I love having you here, I know your grandmother is going to get worried if you stay here much later.”

“You’re right,” she kisses the top of Alyssa’s head, pulling her in for one last hug before she leaves. “You can call me if you need anything okay, baby? I’m just a couple blocks away if anything happens.”

Alyssa nods, trying to take a deep breath as Emma lets go. She kisses her forehead one more time, whispering a soft “I love you,” before she finally walks out of the door. Veronica comes back into Alyssa’s bedroom with a cold washcloth, laying it gently on her forehead. “Just let me know if you need anything, hon,” she says, ruffling her hair. “I’m gonna stay upstairs so I can hear you.”

“Mom, will you tell Coach Dickenson I’m sorry? I’m letting everyone down.”

“Baby,” she sighs, sitting on the edge of her daughter’s bed, readjusting the washcloth on her forehead. “You’re not letting down anyone. You’re sick, and you need to rest. I know your coach will understand that.”

“Promise?”

“I promise. I’ll make sure of it.”

Alyssa yawns as her mother stands back up, planting a kiss on the top of her forehead. “Superstar, I’ll call her in the morning and make sure she knows everything that’s going on.”

“Okay. I love you.”

“I love you too.”

She smiles softly as she exits the room, wondering why the hell she had butterflies in her stomach about calling her daughter’s cheerleading coach.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alyssa isn't the only one who's feeling under the weather.

It’s a few days later when Angie knocks on the Greene’s door. School for the week had just wrapped up, and she had given the cheerleaders the Friday off for all of their hard work. She wants to say that she’s visiting the Greenes to check on Alyssa, but, really, she had ulterior motives. She and Veronica had been texting back and forth since the day she dropped off Alyssa, but today she hadn’t gotten a single text. Already worried about her captain, she decided it wouldn’t be a bad time to pay them a visit.

“Angie,” Veronica sounds surprised when she answers the door. She’s wearing her pajamas and holds a mug of steaming tea. “I’m so sorry, I wasn’t expecting you. I must look horrible.”

“You look fine,” Angie smiles softly. “How’s Alyssa?”  
“Sick as a dog,” Veronica sighs. “Would you like a cup of tea? I totally understand if you don’t want to step into the sick house though.”

“Oh nonsense. Emma’s been over here every afternoon, and if your house has it then I’m sure we do as well.”

Veronica smiles as she welcomes the woman into her house, leading her to the couch where she had paused her daytime television. After walking to the kitchen to get some tea, she sits down on the couch with her, sipping hers lightly. “What’d the doctor say?” Angie asks, sipping her own. “After they diagnosed her with pneumonia I mean.”

“Well, when we went back today they said she’d managed to pick up strep too. Alyssa doesn’t get sick often, but when she does she tends to catch everything.”

“Poor girl,” the cheer coach frowns sympathetically. “Is she asleep already?”

“I think so,” Veronica coughs a little into her sleeve. “Emma beat you here, and honestly I’m grateful for it. She only seems to sleep well when Emma’s up there with her.”

“It makes sense. It’s probably a comfort thing.”

“Yeah,” she coughs again, before setting her tea down at the table. “How’re the girls? Alyssa told me that Shelby’s been acting as a fill in captain.”

“They’re okay, missing leadership though. Luckily for us, competitions aren’t for another few weeks so hopefully she’ll be feeling better by then.”

“God, I hope so,” Mrs. Greene laughs a little. “I don’t think either of us will make it if this lasts much longer.”  
Both women laugh, just as Emma walks down the stairs. “Hey honey,” Angie says, seeing the younger girl enter the room. “Everything okay?”

“‘Lyssa was asking for a popsicle? I think her throat hurts again.”

“They’re in the freezer,” Veronica smiles at her. “At least she’s eating something. That was a fight yesterday.”

“Tell me about it,” Emma giggles, before entering the kitchen. When she comes back out, she faces Angie before going up the stairs. “Gran says she’s gonna be late tonight. Something came up at work I think.”

“Noted,” Angie smiles. “Guess that means you get to spend more time with Alyssa, huh?”

“Can I?”

“As long as it’s okay with Veronica, I don’t see why not.”

Emma turns expectantly to her girlfriend’s mother, who smiles at her. “As long as your grandma’s okay with it, I truly don’t care how long you stay dear.”

“Yes!” Emma grins before running up the stairs.

Angie laughs at her antics, shaking her head. “That girl. You know, she really does love your Alyssa. Pretty sure a few weeks ago she said something about not being able to breathe when she isn’t around.”

“That’s adorable. Alyssa’s the exact same way. Anytime we’re out, she’s always pointing things out and telling me how they remind her of Emma. One time she told me that Emma was like the sun, so she could just look up and always see her girlfriend.”

“Oh my word, that’s precious.”

“I didn’t realize that you were so close with the Nolan’s.”

“Oh yeah… Betsy actually took me in back in college. Emma and I have a lot in common, with getting kicked out and all. Betsy found me at my lowest point and invited me in to have Christmas dinner with her since her son and his new daughter hadn’t come. After that, she basically adopted me.”

“Oh, I didn't realize you were gay.”

“Bi, actually. I hope that isn’t an issue.”

“No, of course not. I used to be… hesitant, but Alyssa has shown me the error of my ways.”

“Well, I appreciate that,” Angie’s smile falters as Veronica coughs again, this time a little more forceful and painful. She reaches out to rub her back. “You don’t sound good.”

“I’m perfectly fine.”

“Well, I see where Alyssa gets her stubbornness from,” Angie smiles warmly, handing her the tea that was sitting on the table beside her. “You’ve worked yourself too hard.”

She sniffles, but thanks Angie while smiling. “Had to care for ‘Lyssa.”

“You gotta care for yourself too,” Angie sighs, frowning as she places a hand on her cheek. “You’re far too warm. How long have you felt bad?”

“A few days.”

“You should’ve called me.”

“I didn’t want to bother you.”

“You never bother me,” Angie smiles softly. 

Veronica wants to reach out and kiss her, right then and there, but something holds her back. Maybe it was the fact that her nose was so filled with snot that she couldn’t breathe, maybe it was the pit of fear still lingering in her stomach, or maybe it was the fact that she didn’t have to move at all.

Angie kisses her forehead softly before standing, seemingly unaware of what she’s done. Veronica freezes, her face blushing a deep red, and she hopes that her fever disguises it somewhat. When Angie returns, she’s holding a thermometer that she gently slips into the mother’s mouth without argument, before settling on the couch again. When it beeps, all of their suspicions are confirmed. “You’re sick, Ronnie.”

_ Ronnie _ . She hadn’t heard that nickname in years, not since college. The last one who had called her that had been a one night stand experiment that she would forever regret. Losing your best friend was one thing, but losing your best friend because you were both homophobic and gay… that was a whole other thing.

“I suppose I don’t feel well,” she admits after a moment, and Angie smiles sympathetically.

“Oh, I could tell that without the thermometer,” she laughs a little, setting it on the table beside them. “Why don’t you go get into bed? You need to rest.”

“What about the girls?”

“I’ll check on them. If it’s alright, me and Emma will spend the night.”

“You don’t have to do that.”

“But I want to,” her voice is soft as she cups Veronica’s face in her hands. “Listen, I’m gonna be real honest with you, Ronnie. I don’t want to leave you here by yourself. I feel like if I leave, something’s gonna happen to you, and you’re too stubborn to ask for help.”

When Mrs. Greene says nothing, Angie smirks. They both stand up, but Veronica pauses as Angie begins to walk in the other direction. “Where are you going?” her voice sounds almost child-like.

“I’m gonna check on the girls,” she says, stepping back towards Veronica. “I’ll meet you back in there as soon as I make sure they’re okay.”

“Okay,” she whispers, and Angie wraps her in a hug, rubbing her back softly. 

A quick run up the stairs later, Angie is standing in the doorway of Alyssa’s room. The door was open, but she still knocked on the frame as she entered. “Hey Em,” she says softly as she sees Alyssa, who has peacefully knocked out in her girlfriend’s arms.

“Hey, do we have to go now?” Emma’s voice is worried, and Angie smiles softly at how compassionate the young girl is.

“Actually, I was wondering if you wanted to sleep over. Veronica’s sick, and I’d rather stay here so I can keep an eye on her.”

“Is Gran okay with it?”  
“Haven’t asked yet, but I’ll work it out with her.”

Emma glances down at her girlfriend, then back up at Angie. “As long as she isn’t mad at me, I’d really like to stay up here with her. You don’t think she’ll be weird about me sleeping in the same bed?”

“Honey, Alyssa has pneumonia. I really don’t think Betsy is concerned about where you sleep.”

Emma shrugs, knowing how her grandmother could be sometimes, but she smiles at Angie. “Call me if either of you need anything,” Angie says to her, walking over to give her a hug. “And if you start feeling bad, please let me know.”

“I will,” she promises.

Angie quickly runs down the stairs again, before walking into Veronica’s room. The woman is curled up in her bed, arms wrapped around her middle as she lets out harsh coughs. Sighing, the cheer coach sits on the bed, rubbing her back gently. “Hon, you’re sick.”

“I know,” Veronica admits, turning over to face Angie. “How’re the girls?”

“‘Lyssa’s asleep, and Emma’s being used as a pillow.”

Veronica laughs a little, which only causes her to fall into another coughing fit. Angie sighs, rubbing her back again, and wondering what she had gotten herself into.


End file.
